The evening is themed around the 1870's. Along with Close, Groff and Gyllenhaal, Tony winner Michael Cerveris will read excerpts from Jules Verne’s Around the World in 80 Days and Taylor Mac will sing temperance hymns.

Oskar Eustis, artistic director of the Public Theater, emcees the event; the Folio Society presents the Janus Prize to historian Simon Schama.